Structured liquids are known in the art for suspending beads or particles in cleaning liquid compositions. The means of providing structure to the liquid includes using particular surfactants that thicken the liquid, or by the addition of thickening agents such as polymers and gums which thicken the liquid so as to be able to suspend particles or beads therein for long periods of time.
However, the suspension of beads in a cleaning liquid composition by the aforementioned use of surfactants, electrolytes, thickening agents, polymers and gums has some characteristics that consumers may consider unacceptable for certain products. Conventional structured liquids are often opaque or turbid thereby obscuring the suspended beads from the consumer, which are shown to best advantage in a transparent or clear liquid.
Further, the by-product of thickening a liquid to provide structure for suspended beads causes a significant increase in liquid viscosity and a corresponding decrease in liquid pourability, a property which consumers generally do not associate with certain products, such as a liquid detergent product.